Pellinor Book Tag

Today I am doing the lovely Pippa’s Pellinor Book Tag. She loves the four book fantasy series by Alison Croggon and created this tag to show her appreciation for it and encourage others to pick them up. You can find her original post here over at her blog thelittlebookowl. I really enjoyed thinking about these questions so thanks for the tag! You don’t need to have read any of the books to participate so please give it a go if you fancy it!

The Gift – pick a book that keeps on giving

I thought long and hard about this one and I’m going to have to choose Labyrinth by Kate Mosse. I couldn’t stop thinking about this for months and months after I’d finished it, and now I’m thinking about it again I’m not sure i’ll forget it for a while. It’s beautifully written and set in Thirteenth Century France – a historical period I’m not overly familiar with. Certain events in the novel troubled me so much that I felt compelled to look them up and see if they were based on real events. Unfortunately they were – and I learned about the awful atrocities that occurred during the crusades against the Cathars. So emotive. I love this book. Check out my review if you want to know more.

The Riddle – a book that kept you guessing until the very end

Ah without a doubt any Sherlock Holmes story. I adore all of the Sherlock Holmes canon and cannot recommend them highly enough. I never knew where the story was going or who committed the crime.I thought after reading a few that I’d pick up on Conan Doyle’s style and be able to start predicting, if not making educated guesses, about the motives and perpetrators in each story. Nope. All unique and incredibly clever. Great series to dip in and out of.

The Crow – pick your favourite animal companion

Nighteyes from Robin Hobb’s Realm of the Elderling series. Definitely. He’s loyal, brave, funny and clever. Everything you could ever want from a furry friend.

The Singing – pick your favourite series conclusion

I tried very hard not to have any repetition in these answers but I have to stay true to my heart and pick Fool’s Fate by Robin Hobb, the conclusion to her Tawny Man trilogy. Oh. My. God. I felt ALL THE EMOTIONS. and although I know she has more Fitz and the Fool books out now I feel like she could have left it there and it would have been perfect (well, I’d definitely still have questions, but I would have been happy).

The Bone Queen – your favourite villain

Oooh I’m going to have to go for the Darkling from Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha trilogy. I wouldn’t mind bumping into him in a dark room. Also potentially a tad misunderstood. Maybe.

Maerad – favourite heroine who isn’t perfect

Paige Mahoney from The Bone Season series. She is so kickass and independent but very human in her flaws. It’s always hard to make a protagonists flaws actual flaws as authors like to create perfect characters who have a smidge of humility but Paige is far from perfect. And I love her for it. She is a bad judge of character, trusting those she shouldn’t and wary of those who’d help. She’s insecure and full of big ideas that she hasn’t always thought out. A really great character.

Cadvan – mentor/teacher from a book/series you would like to be taught by

I wish I could be taught Allomancy by Kelsier in Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn series. He’s so charismatic and playful. It would be good fun.

The Speech – a book with a unique magic system

A Darker Shade of Magic and A Gathering of Shadows by VE Schwab. Really interesting world where there are four Londons, Black, White, Red and Grey, and only two Antari – the ones who can travel between them. In a world where the Thames glows red with magic and men can manipulate the elementals in huge arenas, nothing is as it seems. I don’t want to go into too much detail about the magic system and all it can do for fear of spoilers. Just trust me, read these books. SO GOOD. (Second one is better, can’t wait for the third!)

Elementals/Elidhu – a book with legendary beings or mythical creatures

George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire. Namely the first in the series, A Game of Thrones. Dragons hatching from eggs years after the last ones died out and Direwolves found south of the wall for the first time in equally as long.

Pellinor – your favourite fictional place

Ah. I really, really, wish I could live in Rhysand’s Court of Dreams in Sarah J Maas’ A Court of Mist and Fury. The hints of Ancient Greece in the mountain palace with rooms that open to the rich blues and purples of the night sky. Stars sparkling everywhere. Pillars. And that’s not even mentioning the city and the forest. Ugh. I’d move there tomorrow if I could. Tonight. I’m ready.
I hope you enoyed reading my answers, I’d love to know what you’d pick and I know Pippa would too!